How to Dispute a PayPal Transaction

Open an Item Dispute
1. Gather relevant information for the transaction with which you have an issue, including the transaction ID and the date on which it occurred.
2. Choose the 'Resolution Center' tab on the 'Account Overview' page of your PayPal account. Click on the 'Report a Problem' link in the Resolution Center.
3. Select 'Item Dispute' for a case in which you didn't get an item or the item is not as it was described.
4. Enter the transaction ID and tell PayPal in detail about the problem. You will then post a message to the seller, which PayPal will send along with an email stating that a dispute has been opened.
5. Watch your eBay or PayPal account for messages from the seller and log in to the Resolution Center to read them.
6. Keep an eye on the deadline in the Resolution Center as you try to negotiate a reasonable solution with the other party. Either party has 20 days to escalate a dispute to a claim before the dispute closes.
7. Close the dispute if you work out a satisfactory agreement with the other party. File a claim if you have not been able to resolve the issue. Filing a claim takes the dispute out of your hands, making PayPal the deciding entity.
Open an Unauthorized Transaction Dispute
8. Select ' Unauthorized Transaction' after clicking on the 'Report Problem' link in the Resolution Center.
9. Provide detailed information about the transaction and submit your claim. Change your security question and password when prompted.
10. Look for a confirmation email from PayPal indicating an investigation has been opened.
11. Keep up to date on investigation activity by visiting the Resolution Center regularly.

How to Get a Free PayPal Account

1. Visit PayPal's website and click on "Sign Up." This will take you to the account creation page.
2. Evaluate your online payment needs. There are three different types of PayPal accounts: personal, premier and business. Personal accounts are recommended if you just buy things online, but you should probably choose the premier account if you buy and sell online. For both personal and premier accounts, it is free to open the account, send money and withdraw money to a checking account in the United States.
3. Once you have decided on the type of account that best suits your needs, click on the "Get Started" link.
4. Enter your personal information, including name, address and phone number. This will create your basic account.
5. Log in to your account. If you will be using your PayPal account to make purchases online or to receive payment, you must add a checking account.
6. Once you enter your account, on the left side of the page under "Set Up Your Account," click on "Add a Checking Account."
7. Enter your bank name, routing number and account number in the fields provided. You can find your routing and account numbers for your checking account at the bottom of one of your personal checks.
8. After a few days, log in to your bank to view your checking account. In order to verify your checking account, PayPal will make two small deposits--typically less than $0.10 each--into your checking account.
9. Once you have determined the amount of the deposits into your checking account, return to PayPal and enter in those amounts where it says "Verify This Account." This is a safeguard to ensure you are the true owner of the checking account.
10. Start using your PayPal account. If you want to add additional services or upgrade your account, simply log in and follow the instructions under "Enhance This Account."

How to Use a Prepaid Visa Card to Open a PayPal Account

1. Click the 'Sign Up' link on the PayPal website to create an account. Follow the step-by-step instructions to create your account. Then click 'My Account.'
2. Review the three different PayPal accounts. The accounts are personal, premier and business. A personal account is if you just want to buy things online and the premier is if you buy and sell online. To use your prepaid Visa, choose either personal or premier.
3. Click the 'Get Started' link after you choose the account type that suits your needs. Follow the step-by-step instructions to set up your account.
4. Log in to your account and click 'Profile.' Click 'Add or Edit Credit Card.' Click 'Add a Card.' Enter your prepaid Visa information in the required fields. Click 'Link and Confirm My Card,' then 'Save and Continue.' A charge of $1.95 will appear on your credit card along with a four-digit code and the word 'PayPal.'
5. Confirm your credit card. Log in to your PayPal account and click 'Profile,' then click 'Credit/Debit Cards.' Click 'Link and Confirm My Card' and enter the four-digit PayPal code. Click 'Submit.' Your prepaid Visa has been entered and confirmed by PayPal.

How to Call PayPal

1. Click on the 'Help' link on the PayPal website to check online resources first. You can search for answers to common questions. The website offers information that may solve your problem more quickly than calling.
2. Click on the 'Contact Us' link if the online Help area didn't answer your question. The Contact Us area has a number of ways you can contact PayPal in addition to calling. You may prefer to ask a question by email. You can get immediate help from an automated customer service representative that PayPal calls 'Sarah.' This isn't a real person, just a system programmed to answer many common questions. There is also access to a developers' technical area for help integrating PayPal into your website.
3. Click on the 'Call Us' link if you haven't found a solution in the earlier steps, or you just prefer to work by phone.
4. Create a customer service PIN. This ID number will help PayPal verify you as the account holder.
5. Have information ready when you call. For fastest customer service via phone, you should have the primary telephone number associated with the account and the secure web PIN displayed on the web page. This PIN is generated by the website and is different from your customer service PIN and your primary email (the email address you use to log in to your account).
6. Call (888) 221-1161. Monday through Friday, you can call from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. PST (7 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST). On Saturday and Sunday, you can call from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. PST (9 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST).

How to Find a PayPal User

1. Log into your Paypal account and send money to the email address you have. The user has a specified period of time to accept or refund the payment. Wait at least 24 to 48 hours before logging back into your account and checking on the status. If the person doesn’t use that email address on his account and the money is still waiting to transfer, cancel the transaction.
2. Check your Paypal account for evidence of past transactions, but only if you previously sent money or accepted a payment from the user in the past. Only the user’s name is listed in your history, but if you click on the details of the transaction, you’ll find the email address of the user.
3. Visit eBay.com and contact a buyer or seller through the eBay mail function. EBay lets users search for buyers or sellers based on their user name and search for their history over the last 60 days. Once you click on a user’s name, you have the option to send the person a message and request her Paypal details.
4. Send an email directly to the person and ask for her Paypal information. If you have the individual’s email address and it‘s not connected to her Paypal account, this is your best bet. Some people use multiple email accounts for different purposes, such as one email address for personal emails from family and friends and a second email address for business purposes, including eBay sales and Paypal work.
5. Contact Paypal about finding a person’s user account. Paypal will typically only help if you have a specific and immediate reason to find a Paypal user. Include your contact information and the exact reason why you need to contact the person, such as sending money for services rendered or a user name lost due to computer malfunction.

How to Use Paypal to Request Money

1. Create a Paypal account. You must supply contact information and the details of the bank account number in which you want your money deposited. As someone makes a payment to you, the money will initially sit in your Paypal account until you request a transfer to your bank account.
2. Go to the tab entitled 'Merchant Services' to create an invoice. Whether you use their template or design one of your own, you will need the email address of the recipient. Once you complete the invoice, Paypal will forward it to your customer.
3. Ask your customer to make their Paypal payment using the 'Pay Now' button on their invoice. This will ensure the transaction is processed quickly, and the money is deposited directly to your Paypal account.
4. Log onto Paypal when you receive your email notification that a payment has entered your account. Click on the withdraw tab and transfer the money to the bank account you have on file. This method of payment is free and only takes a couple of days.
5. Check the status of your customer's payment or your withdraw request by logging onto Paypal and reviewing your account.

How to Limit PayPal

1. Log into your PayPal account. This opens the Account Overview page.
2. Click the 'View All My Transactions Link' above the account pane. Click the 'Payments Sent' button.
3. Locate a transaction for the service provider for which you want to set the PayPal limit. Click the 'Details' link beside the service provider's name.
4. Click the 'View Payment Agreement Details' link.
5. Scroll to the 'Bill Term' section, then click the 'Edit Billing Limit' link. Type your preferred limit into the input box. Click the 'Save' button to save and implement the PayPal limit.